asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will consider abolishing the ESB special service charge.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - ESB Service Charge.
38.
The Government reviewed the rural electrification charges in 1968 and arranged with the Electricity Supply Board for considerable reductions in the high special service charges which some consumers were required to pay because of the high cost of connecting them. The reductions were quite substantial and some consumers' special service charges were reduced by 50 per cent or more. These reduced special service charges are the lowest which the Government can arrange at present.
Is the Minister not aware that the special service charge is still very high and, as a result, there are many people living in rural areas who cannot afford to get electricity at the terms offered them by the ESB? Would the Minister consider abolishing the special service charge? I put it to the Minister that when a person is living in an out-of-the-way place it is not by his own choice that he is living there. Because people are living in remote areas I do not think they should be debarred from getting a supply of electricity.
There is no question of debarring people. Naturally enough, representing a constituency similar to that of the Deputy, I am full of sympathy for anyone in this situation. But the people paying special service charges are paying only one-third of the fixed cost of ESB supply connection.
Is the Minister aware——
The time is up for questions. We cannot debate this question all evening.
It is an important question.
The others are important, too.
Is the Minister aware that when a particular person made application for electricity he was asked to make a deposit of £600 and a two-monthly payment afterwards of £5 8s? Surely the Minister must agree that one would want to have a very high income before one could afford to pay such an amount of money for electric light?
The economic facts are that two-thirds of the cost is being borne by the taxpayer.
Is there any possibility that the Minister would look into this question again?
It is a Government matter in a budgetary context.
I assume there will be a further increase of 2½ per cent due to the Budget?